Jonah 4:11

Jonah 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
• New International Version (NIV)And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

Context of Jonah 4:11

9Then God asked Jonah, “What right do you have to be angry over this plant?” Jonah answered, “I have every right to be angry—so angry that I want to die.” 10The Lord replied, “This plant grew up overnight and died overnight. You didn’t plant it or make it grow. Yet, you feel sorry for this plant. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for this important city, Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people in it as well as many animals. These people couldn’t tell their right hand from their left.”

Jonah 4:11 word by word

וַֽאֲנִי֙ לֹ֣א אָח֔וּס עַל־נִינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־בָּ֡הּ הַרְבֵּה֩ מִֽשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה רִבּ֜וֹ אָדָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדַע֙ בֵּין־יְמִינ֣וֹ לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וּבְהֵמָ֖ה רַבָּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And should not I spareחוּסchûs · to pityH2347
• Ninevehנִינְוֵהnîynevêh · NinevehH5210
• that greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• wherein areיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• moreרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• than sixscoreעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• than sixscoreשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• thousandרִבּוֹribbô ribbô' · ten thousandH7239
• personsאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• that cannot discernיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• between their right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• and their left handשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• muchרַבrab · manyH7227
• cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929

Cross-references for Jonah 4:11

• Jonah 4:1Jonah was very upset about this, and he became angry.
• Isaiah 1:18“Come on now, let’s discuss this!” says the Lord. “Though your sins are bright red, they will become as white as snow. Though they are dark red, they will become as white as wool.
• Matthew 18:33Shouldn’t you have treated the other servant as mercifully as I treated you?’
• Luke 15:28“Then the older son became angry and wouldn’t go into the house. His father came out and begged him to come in.
• Jonah 1:2“Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people that I can no longer overlook the wicked things they have done.”
• Jonah 3:2“Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people the message I have given you.”
• Deuteronomy 1:39Although you thought the little children would be captured in war, your children, who are still too young to know the difference between good and evil, will enter that land. I will give it to them, and they will take possession of it.
• Psalms 36:6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, your judgments like the deep ocean. You save people and animals, O Lord.
• Psalms 104:14You make grass grow for cattle and make vegetables for humans to use in order to get food from the ground.
• Psalms 145:8The Lord is merciful, compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive.

Commentaries on Jonah 4:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And should not I spare Nineveh - In Jonah 4:10; it is said, thou hast had pity on the gourd, חסת אתה attah Chasta ; and here the Lord uses the same word, אחוס לא ואני veani lo Achus, "And shall not I have pity upon Nineveh?" How much is the city better than the shrub? But besides this there are in it one hundred and twenty thousand persons! And shall I destroy them, rather than thy shade should be withered or thy word apparently fail? And besides, these…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Should I not spare? - literally “have pity” and so “spare.” God waives for the time the fact of the repentance of Nineveh, and speaks of those on whom man must have pity, those who never had any share in its guilt, the 120,000 children of Nineveh, “I who, in the weakness of infancy, knew not which hand, “the right” or “the left,” is the stronger and fitter for every use.” He who would have spared Sodom “for ten‘s sake,” might well be thought to spare…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 Jonah went out of the city, yet remained near at hand, as if he expected and desired its overthrow. Those who have fretful, uneasy spirits, often make troubles for themselves, that they may still have something to complain of. See how tender God is of his people in their afflictions, even though they are foolish and froward. A thing small in itself, yet coming seasonably, may be a valuable blessing. A gourd in the right place may do us more…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11who cannot tell their right hand from their left: God sent his message through his prophetic word in a wicked city. Not everyone who encounters God's light responds positively (see John 3:19–21), but God wants to save those who genuinely repent and have faith. The book ends suddenly, prompting the reader to consider God's final question to Jonah. God prefers to save rather than destroy. Those who have received his mercy should be happy for that same mercy…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1110-11. The main lesson of the book. If Jonah so pities a plant which cost him no toil to rear, and which is so short lived and valueless, much more must Jehovah pity those hundreds of thousands of immortal men and women in great Nineveh whom He has made with such a display of creative power, especially when many of them repent, and seeing that, if all in it were destroyed, "more than six score thousand" of unoffending children, besides "much cattle,"…Read the comment

Topics related to Jonah 4:11

• Animals
• God Continued...
• Nineveh
• Parables

In the dictionaries

• Nineveh
• Nineveh, Ninevite
• Left hand
• Intercession
• Jonah, the Book of
• Sabbatical Year

Commentaries on Jonah 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings